EDIT: Jerry Falwell has passed away

[NathanATX]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_us/jerry_falwell_5;_ylt=AoLo0ddz.iAwKfLHCfFF_jwL1vAI

LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell was hospitalized in "gravely serious" condition after being found unconscious in his office Tuesday, a Liberty University executive said.

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Ron Godwin, the executive vice president of Falwell's Liberty University, said Falwell was found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but "he has a history of heart challenges."

"I had breakfast with him, and he was fine at breakfast," Godwin said. "He went to his office, I went to mine and they found him unresponsive."

Godwin said Falwell was receiving emergency care. A hospital spokeswoman said she had "no information to release at this time" on Falwell

Falwell, a television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority, became the face of the religious right in the 1980s. He later founded the conservative Liberty University and serves as its president.

Falwell survived two serious health scares in early 2005. He was hospitalized for two weeks with what was described as a viral infection, then hospitalized again a few weeks later after going into respiratory arrest.

[antonyh]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_us/jerry_falwell_5;_ylt=AoLo0ddz.iAwKfLHCfFF_jwL1vAI

LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell was hospitalized in "gravely serious" condition after being found unconscious in his office Tuesday, a Liberty University executive said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ron Godwin, the executive vice president of Falwell's Liberty University, said Falwell was found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but "he has a history of heart challenges."

"I had breakfast with him, and he was fine at breakfast," Godwin said. "He went to his office, I went to mine and they found him unresponsive."

Godwin said Falwell was receiving emergency care. A hospital spokeswoman said she had "no information to release at this time" on Falwell

Falwell, a television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority, became the face of the religious right in the 1980s. He later founded the conservative Liberty University and serves as its president.

Falwell survived two serious health scares in early 2005. He was hospitalized for two weeks with what was described as a viral infection, then hospitalized again a few weeks later after going into respiratory arrest.

May he be in our thoughts and prayers.

[Zerbie]

I am not surprised that this has happened with him.

Thank you for posting Nate. I'll pray for his well-being, he has a lot to recover from.

[keltic63]

How awful. Yes, let's keep him in our prayers.

[Daniel]

Of course, I do not know his specific history with heart problems, but if my Dad is any indication- and he has lived with "heart challenges" for over 30 years- it isn't a walk in the park.

May the Lord be with Mr. Falwell and his family.

[NathanATX]

Jerry Falwell has just passed away.:pray:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18679412/

Moral Majority leader Falwell dies
Evangelical leader was found in his university office

U.S. evangelist Falwell hospitalized - paper
BREAKING NEWS
MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 4 minutes ago
LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell — founder of the Moral Majority and the face of the religious right in the 1980s — died Tuesday after being found unconscious in his office, a Liberty University executive said.

Ron Godwin, Liberty's executive vice president, said Falwell, 73, had been found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital.

Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but noted that Falwell had “a history of heart challenges.”

[Zerbie]

Oh my word.

:pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:

[Vanessa White]

I hold him and his entire family and community in my prayers........:pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:

[keltic63]

I'm struck by the pain I'm feeling about this. I'm encouraged that the things soulforce has taught me are allowing me to feel true sadness at this man's passing.

May God carry him home to his glorious new home. May God strengthen and comfort his family, his congregation, and the student body at Liberty.

[Sharone]

I will never forget meeting Dr. Falwell at my dad's church when I was a youngster, but my real vivid memories will be of meeting him again in 1999 as Soulforce took 200 people down to Lynchburg to discuss the discrimination that the Church perpetrates on GLBT people. While he was not as gracious a host as we would have liked, I think that he truly wanted to understand. He just couldn't get past his predjudices and what the Church has traditionally taught about homosexuality. He struck me as a very compassionate person and yet someone who seemed to put his foot in his mouth often. This made him look like he didn't care, but I didn't get that. God loved him and that's what matters. I pray today for his family and for the Thomas Road Baptist Church/Liberty University family.
Love,
Sharone

[Vanessa White]

I feel like my teachings here at SF are creating an alternate response than I would have had in the past as well, but I feel just plain old weird about it. I can't really tell how I feel. Anyone else having that going on? I absolutely do feel for his family, however. That is genuine. Otherwise, it feels like confusion....... :confused: :pray:

[dsdrane]

May God have mercy on his soul.

And may God's peace be with those who loved him and are in pain right now, as well as with those who have suffered directly or indirectly as a result of some of his words, who feel and have felt a different kind of pain.

[Daniel]

Hubby and I talked about this a short while ago, and he impressed on me the fact that Falwell was very racist at one point and then had all those earlier sermons expunged. That he was not able to see his way to changing his views about gay people is a great sadness.

And I am reminded of the Buddha's teaching here: There is suffering. And there is the suffering of suffering.

Certianly, Mr. Falwell was a man who meant to do good, even if that 'good' caused suffering to those in our community (the suffering of suffering), but that doesn't change for a minute his own suffering or that of his family.

May his soul be blessed. And may his family find solace.

[Zerbie]

I feel like my teachings here at SF are creating an alternate response than I would have had in the past as well, but I feel just plain old weird about it. I can't really tell how I feel. Anyone else having that going on? I absolutely do feel for his family, however. That is genuine. Otherwise, it feels like confusion....... :confused: :pray:

I am reacting with grief and emotional volatility.
Falwell was the one whose words prompted me to hate "christians" for for over 15 years, and is still the reason why I won't consider going to a church. And I'm reacting to this news with tremendous sadness and sorrow.

I am also imagining that this news will be hard on Mel White. There was so much there probably unresolved.

In any event, wherever Jerry Falwell is now, I imagine he sees everything with clarity now. More than we have here. He is in a better place, and I hope that he is already at peace.

[keltic63]

I feel like my teachings here at SF are creating an alternate response than I would have had in the past as well, but I feel just plain old weird about it. I can't really tell how I feel. Anyone else having that going on? I absolutely do feel for his family, however. That is genuine. Otherwise, it feels like confusion....... :confused: :pray:

I am reacting with grief and emotional volatility.
Falwell was the one whose words prompted me to hate "christians" for for over 15 years, and is still the reason why I won't consider going to a church. And I'm reacting to this news with tremendous sadness and sorrow.

I am also imagining that this news will be hard on Mel White. There was so much there probably unresolved.

In any event, wherever Jerry Falwell is now, I imagine he sees everything with clarity now. More than we have here. He is in a better place, and I hope that he is already at peace.

That may be it, Vanessa! I'm saddened on the human level; but there is also the loss that this disagreement we've had cannot be reconciled. There is no resolution to our disagreement with our adversary, whom we believed to be a child of God, whom we believed to be the victim of misinformation, and whom we had so hoped we could reconcile with before any of us moved on to the next life.

[tdogg]

I feel sad and am praying for Mr. Falwell's family and friends, that they have peace and comfort in his love for them and their memories of him. I've never actually 'emotionally' connected with Jerry, but no doubt numerous others have. It's a sad day.

Along with that are feelings that possibly as old beliefs and opinions pass on, new ones are allowed to form. I pray also that his prejudices and anti-gay beliefs will pass on too, and that perhaps somehow his spiritual being can reach others and show them there is nothing to fear from us. That we are all equal. That we are all loved by God one and the same.

The cycle of life provides for the passing of 'old' and the beginnings of 'new'. It's terribly sad and sometimes not to easy to understand or accept, but along with the sadness and confusion comes hope, and a joy that arises with new possibilities and far-reaching futures.

I hope that doesn't come off as sounding like I'm glad Jerry Falwell is dead. Only to point out that with every death, there is a new hope and a new beginning. My best friend's father passed away suddenly last week. My father isn't in the best of health. Sometimes I have a very difficult time understanding what life is all about. So it's more convincing myself of the new hopes and beginnings that spring out of life passing on..... :love: :love: :pray:

[NathanATX]

This really brings home that Soulforce is about reconciliation. We have to stay focused on that. We are working to end the suffering and injustice so there can be reconciliation and healing.

When our anger is directed at a person instead of the misinformation, we lose valueable time and heart space... for none of us are guaranteed a day on this planet.

As Keltic said, I am feeling most saddened by missing the opportunity to reconcile with Falwell. And I'm feeling regret for the times when I focused my anger on him instead of the misinformation.

[sjbouza]

I wonder what it is going to do to the "Moral Majority"? I know they still have good ole James Dobson out there still for the Fundies. I just hope that the person that steps into his shoes will be more tolerant than Falwell was. One can only hope and pray I guess. I just pray that whomever steps into those shoes will see that God loves all people no matter what. That Jesus doesnt discriminate and that the Bible also teaches everyone to Accept one another...ie Romans 15:7 (NIV) Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. I think that is just as significant as any of the clobber verses.

As I re-read the rest of the posts I can really say that I dont know how I feel right now. I am saddened to say that when I first saw the news article on Yahoo News I actually was happy. Now I feel bad about those thoughts. As Vanessa said, I too feel really strange. Truthfully I dont know what to feel. I do have compassion and grief for the family, however, I am just not sure what to feel about the man himself. But like others said, he is in a better place and can finally see the truth. For that, I guess, I am happy. I too just wish he could have seen the truth before his passing, what a wonderful voice for us he could have been. I am sorry that I dont really have any feelings one way or another right now for the man.

I just pray that God blesses the family and friends of Mr Falwell in their time of grief.

[tdogg]

Great point Nate. Thanks for being you. :)

[Thaddus]

It looks like MSNBC is showing alot of repeat clips of Jerry with Rev. Mel White, but I am not sure because they do not identify who it is.

[pnggrad79]

While it is sad when anyone dies, and I will pray for his family, he is not someone I am really sad to see go. He was a rascist individual, and put countless people through their own personal hell through his diatribes about gay people and his condemnation of them. I am sorry for his family for they must be hurting, but I do hope that when he reaches heaven, that God will show him the hurtful damage he did to other people and then forgive him as only God can do. In my humaness, I am sorry for his family, but not really all that sorry he is gone. Sorry if that is harsh, but it is real. And I won't back down on it.

[Zerbie]

While it is sad when anyone dies, and I will pray for his family, he is not someone I am really sad to see go. He was a rascist individual, and put countless people through their own personal hell through his diatribes about gay people and his condemnation of them. I am sorry for his family for they must be hurting, but I do hope that when he reaches heaven, that God will show him the hurtful damage he did to other people and then forgive him as only God can do. In my humaness, I am sorry for his family, but not really all that sorry he is gone. Sorry if that is harsh, but it is real. And I won't back down on it.

You're allowed to feel whatever you feel. It's certainly understandable.

I believe that where he is now, he sees everything that happened, the good and the bad, with great clarity, and understands it all now.

[nmwolfboy]

i wish i could say that i feel nothing but sadness at Rev. Falwell's passing and the loss of any chance for glbt folk and others to reconcile with him. While that is in my heart, there is also a feeling of relief at the loss of someone who purposefully contributed to the pain and conflict that i used to feel.

Nevertheless, my prayers are with him and his family and friends.

Requiescat in pace.

[Dash]

I'm stunned. I agree with those who feel a keen sense of the lost opportunity for reconciliation. How sad. Yet...I do not doubt that we will all be reconciled to each other.

My co-worker and I were talking earlier about the relationship that develops between adversaries.

A strong reminder of the humanity of those with whom we struggle. I'm thinking about how many people genuinely loved him...how hard it is for me to love some of these leaders...

[BruceChris]

In the Bible, and many other places, I have encountered the teaching that we should never be judgemental of others. When I then synthesize this with "Love the sinner, hate the sin", I find that what I am left with is "Love the sinner, forgive the sin".

Of course, I do not believe that homosexuality is a sin, but that is, unfortunately, a whole 'nother discussion.

I must wish Jerry and his friends peace, in this world and the next.

Bruce Chris

[dewdrop_world]

They're profiling him on the PBS Newshour now. I had forgotten many of the truly horrific things he said in the past. So it's hard for me to feel fully peaceful toward him now. I don't wish him any harm, but I'm not quite ready to embrace his soul.

Tony Campolo is one of the guests and gave us a fair shake - "I think he humiliated a lot of gay and lesbian people."

James

[Daniel]

They're profiling him on the PBS Newshour now. I had forgotten many of the truly horrific things he said in the past. So it's hard for me to feel fully peaceful toward him now. I don't wish him any harm, but I'm not quite ready to embrace his soul.

Tony Campolo is one of the guests and gave us a fair shake - "I think he humiliated a lot of gay and lesbian people."

James

I saw the broadcast as well. Hubby pointed out to me things I had forgotten, one being that Falwell apologized for the timing of his heinous statement after 9/11 but not for the content. True to his convictions, Falwell never backed down.

Campolo also said the Falwell reflected the thoughts of many Americans. And while that is true, it is also true that Falwell told those same Americans what to think. He wasn't just a reflection. And in that sense, the incalculable harm he has done to straights, gays and lesbians everywhere will not so easily be forgotten- or healed.

[Joshuan2]

Well, what can I say? The man who loved to sow seeds of division and intolerance has died.

I express sympathy to his family during this difficult time for them. I also believe his church will quickly fold seeing that its idol has perished.

Let us hope that Jerry Falwell finds that his Eternal Judge is far more gracious, merciful and tolerant than he was in life.

This is not a time to cast stones but a time to reflect soberly.

1) I celebrate the silence of a man who hurt countless people with words that he knew caused division and pain.

2) I welcome the opportunity to replace such noise with the truth of Jesus, words of grace, acceptance, tolerance and community.

3) I stand humbly realizing that everyone will stand before God. Including myself.

4) I will with renewed fire seek to mirror ONLY the person of Jesus/Joshua to the world and not the corruption of a political/religious organization that has been shown to fail to regulate its leaders nor hold them to accountability.

5) I express the relief that I have shunned opportunities to use the corruption of power to enforce my agenda upon people.

6) I express sympathy to his family because we all cherish our loved ones.

7) I express concern that many will cry tears for their fallen idol instead of contemplating the weight and accuracy of his legacy in the light of the teachings of Jesus/Joshua.

8) I encourage all leaders of grace and tolerance to take over the area with the love and light of Jesus/Joshua now that an Asheroth pole of intolerant religion has fallen in mortality.

9) I urge all such religious leaders to judge within their heart their motives and to rid themselves of political corruption, abusive religion, power-mongering, hypocrisy, homophobia and all the other cancers that came to dominate his ministry and poison the pipeline.

10) I will consider everything a loss but to mirror the character of Jesus and as such will reflect that none of the political postering, name dropping, side drawing rhetoric will be of any use now. Jerry has gone as we will all go. Naked, alone and standing before a God who according to the teachings of Jesus/Joshua will judge us the same as we judged others. I wouldn't want to be in his place right now.

[HarmlessEccentric]

When I heard this earlier tonight, I was stunned. I honestly didn't know what to feel. It's hard to mourn the death of a man who I've learned to associate with hate and cruelty directed directly at me. But I can't celebrate the death of a man who loved God and tried hard to live faithfully according to what God wanted.

I'm sorry I'll never get to see him change his mind about us, and as his sister in Christ, I believe that he is with God now, where he can see his life without the interference of the prejudices that blinded him yesterday. Someday I'll meet him in Heaven.

[pnggrad79]

My sentiments exactly Joshuan. I have often thought how much better the world would be without the tyrants that rant and rave. The tyrants such as James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Don Wildmon, etc. Once this old breed has gone, I think I breath of fresh air will blow into the church, one of the Holy Spirit, which will renew our hearts and our minds and embrace all of humanity or at least all that seek after Him, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender and queer people who have been thrown out of families and churches. I look forward to it and claim it as done. Amen!:pray:

[u-dog]

cuz my Mama told me not to say anything if I couldn't say anything good. And I can't. I shan't weep and that is a fact. I believe that the man was evil and that his intentions for America were diabolical. As my brother reminds me...

we are judged by One who loves us... but we are still judged.

[dsdrane]

cuz my Mama told me not to say anything if I couldn't say anything good. And I can't. I shan't weep and that is a fact.

Oh U, you know how much I love U.

And the balance you invariably bring to the discourse. You're always so fair, but you also know what's what.

While we -- and our brethren & sistren :D over at GCN -- continue to pat ourselves on the back for how gracious we are and will, no doubt, continue to be -- and rightly so (the gracious part, not the patting-ourselves-on-the-back part) -- I have to say that I spit up a little in my mouth this evening watching the media's coverage of this great and influencial man.

The best even the conservative spinners could come up with was that he was "true to his convictions" and "that he really believed what he said" but what a pussycat of a man he was "behind the scenes".

Awwwww, did you know he liked sports...a lot? And those teletubbies...wouldn't you know he had one on his desk? What a card! Gosh, he was nothing like he was in public! He was such a nice man!

I'm sorry, but is it rude of me to point out that his words are directly, directly responsible for much violence, the extent of which we can only imagine?

And, um...yes, we can point to many, many scary men in history who were true to their convictions as well...and exactly when did this become a virtue???

I know. I know. The backlash will have its day, but, for now, I would selfishly like to ask the choir, simply, quietly: WTF?!?! Are these people on crack?!?!

I do pray for him and the clarity he no doubt now has. I pray for his loved ones. But my special prayers are for the people -- all of us included -- who have been maligned and are now asked to be gracious...and actually are.

My second most special prayers are for his followers, who, now somewhat keel-less, might have an opportunity their leader sadly didn't take: to see gay people as their co-equals in the body of Christ. I fervently pray that God's peace and understanding be known to them and be active in them so that they might grow through their pain to see the true work ahead for all of us.

Amen!

-d.

[andrewlittle]

cuz my Mama told me not to say anything if I couldn't say anything good. And I can't. I shan't weep and that is a fact. I believe that the man was evil and that his intentions for America were diabolical. As my brother reminds me...

we are judged by One who loves us... but we are still judged.

So .... hmmm.

[suzer1013]

I am sad for his family and for those who loved him. I'm sure they are feeling a keen sense of loss.

I am grateful to God, however, that he has been released from the hatred which controlled him for most of his life. What an awful way to live! I wonder if he ever truly had an understanding of God's Love?

I'm certain that he does now. And to steal a comment I read on another site -- I suspect Matthew Shepard and Fannyann Eddy were there to greet him at Heaven's door.

I am so glad he is finally at peace. Which allows us to also be a little more at peace.

May his family and friends be comforted in their time of sorrow.

Susan

[revtj]

Tony Campolo is one of the guests and gave us a fair shake - "I think he humiliated a lot of gay and lesbian people."

I was trying to think back & recall whether Jerry Falwell ever offered a repentant apology for his remarks after 9/11? My recollection was that he did, but it was one of those "I apologize, but" apologies which contained self-justification for the remarks.

Whatever the case, his remarks after 9/11 did severe damage to our community and validated a lot of the illogical tenets of the so-called "culture war." There is no way to measure the hatred it underscored and the violence it precipitated.

To be fair, if I compare him to the Apostle Paul, he comes out normal. I am just thankful it is not up to me to judge his soul.

I do however believe we must not let him escape, even in death, the disastrous effect of the post 9/11 remarks, but should seek to hold it up as a mirror to help America understand the irrational nature of homophobia.

[Daniel]

I was trying to think back & recall whether Jerry Falwell ever offered a repentant apology for his remarks after 9/11? My recollection was that he did, but it was one of those "I apologize, but" apologies which contained self-justification for the remarks.

Here's what I found.

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/14/Falwell.apology/

LYNCHBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell said late Thursday he did not mean to blame feminists, gays or lesbians for bringing on the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington this week, in remarks on a television program earlier in the day.

On the broadcast of the Christian television program "The 700 Club," Falwell made the following statement:

"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'"

Falwell, pastor of the 22,000-member Thomas Road Baptist Church, viewed the attacks as God's judgment on America for "throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked."

But in a phone call to CNN, Falwell said that only the hijackers and terrorists were responsible for the deadly attacks.

"I do believe, as a theologian, based upon many Scriptures and particularly Proverbs 14:23, which says 'living by God's principles promotes a nation to greatness, violating those principles brings a nation to shame,'" he said.

Falwell said he believes the ACLU and other organizations "which have attempted to secularize America, have removed our nation from its relationship with Christ on which it was founded."

"I therefore believe that that created an environment which possibly has caused God to lift the veil of protection which has allowed no one to attack America on our soil since 1812," he said.

Pat Robertson, host of the 700 Club program, seemed to agree with Falwell's earlier statements in a prayer during the program.

"We have sinned against Almighty God, at the highest level of our government, we've stuck our finger in your eye," said Robertson. "The Supreme Court has insulted you over and over again, Lord. They've taken your Bible away from the schools. They've forbidden little children to pray. They've taken the knowledge of God as best they can, and organizations have come into court to take the knowledge of God out of the public square of America."

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Lorri L. Jean bristled at the idea that gays and lesbians had anything to do with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that may have left thousands dead, and demanded an apology from Falwell.

"The terrible tragedy that has befallen our nation, and indeed the entire global community, is the sad byproduct of fanaticism. It has its roots in the same fanaticism that enables people like Jerry Falwell to preach hate against those who do not think, live, or love in the exact same way he does," she said.

"The tragedies that have occurred this week did not occur because someone made God mad, as Mr. Falwell asserts. They occurred because of hate, pure and simple. It is time to move beyond a place of hate and to a place of healing. We hope that Mr. Falwell will apologize to the U.S. and world communities."

Falwell told CNN: "I would never blame any human being except the terrorists, and if I left that impression with gays or lesbians or anyone else, I apologize."

What I find interesting about his clarification is that he didn't actually change his view of theological believes for one second- he reiterated his original thesis- and was simply trying to have to both ways: keep his theology and be a nice guy.

[Daniel]

An interesting article on Huffington Post caught my attention. The writer was mobilized to become a progressive minster after hearing Fallwell.

I like his take on things.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-ron-stief/thanks-jerry-falwell-_b_48829.html


I could have lived a life of leisure in a pastoral setting in rural Montana, far from the hectic lifestyle of urban Christian political activism. Instead, in 1979, as a personal reaction to Jerry Falwell's announced Moral Majority Christian crusade against everything I believed to be true about the world, I made my decision to go to seminary.

~

Poll after poll shows that the conservative Christian movement is losing the struggle for the hearts and minds of American on key issues like gay rights, even though they have had a lot of victories in passing anti-gay marriage initiatives. People are awakening from their long slumber. The culture is recovering from a dangerous period ushered in by the Moral Majority of equating Christianity with gay-bashing. The religious right has splintered, as many, in the National Association of Evangelicals and others, see the dangers of global warming, Darfur, the global HIV/AIDS crisis, and poverty in America as Biblical issues that trump the obsession of the far right of keeping women in their place in the home and the doctor's office. A contemporary Christian identity is being birthed from both the left and the right that meets somewhere in the middle on setting a new public policy agenda that meets the real needs of our society, not some mythological strategy of gathering personal power by vilifying the most vulnerable.

Yes!

[Montanna]

"Christian identity is being birthed from both the left and the right that meets somewhere in the middle on setting a new public policy agenda that meets the real needs of our society, not some mythological strategy of gathering personal power by vilifying the most vulnerable. " I see this happening too. Conversation with the GLBT community is spurning this along. Oppression won't stand the light of day and we have a big spotlight. Thanks for posting this. Montanna

[kimmyd]

I, for one, am going to be honest about Falwell's passing: he did the world a favor.

He lived a posh life that homeless people believing in the same God could only dream of, and hurt too many people to forgive him for with his words and actions.

I do not miss him, and am glad he is no longer here. I don't feel forgiveness, sadness, or anything short of relief at his passing.

[akbdc99]

[QUOTE=sjbouza;29254]I wonder what it is going to do to the "Moral Majority"? I know they still have good ole James Dobson out there still for the Fundies. I just hope that the person that steps into his shoes will be more tolerant than Falwell was. One can only hope and pray I guess. I just pray that whomever steps into those shoes will see that God loves all people no matter what. That Jesus doesnt discriminate and that the Bible also teaches everyone to Accept one another...ie Romans 15:7 (NIV) Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. I think that is just as significant as any of the clobber verses.[QUOTE]

Here's a great article in today Washington Post on the future of the evangelical movement Post Jerry Falwell:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/21/AR2007052101581.html?hpid=topnews

What I find really interesting is the last part of the article.

[sjbouza]

Thanks for the link to the article akbdc99, It was very informative, It seems that as the elders of the Evangelicals are passing and the younger generation is up and coming their focus is seeming to change. Not being so "one dimensional" as their elders are. But broadening their focus.

Yes they still do have the Quake psych Dobson, but I think he is on his way out too. More and more people are seeing him for what he really is, simply a bigot and a hate monger. I can see, even in my small conservative community, that more and more people are turning their backs on Dobson because of all the crap that spews out of his mouth. I hear it "on the streets" and in the churches that people are just plain tired of hearing the same ole crap all the time and then he asks for more and more money to "help fight the evils". I really think people are beginning to see through the rhetoric and see that he is just money hungry and is using the "hot issues" of the day to fill his pockets.

[BrentRichards]

Craziness surrounding today's funeral included:

1. A protest from our "dear friends" at Westboro Baptist Church, who called Fallwell a "friend of gays" (can anyone say "idée fixe?")

2. A Liberty student arrested after telling family members he had made several bombs and planned to take them to the funeral. Police did indeed confiscate bombs from him, but reports I've read are unclear who, if anyone, he intended to harm. One thought is that he might have been after the Westboro folks.

Sigh. It's such a strange world.

Here's one story ... http://enews.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20070522/46526ac0_3ca6_15526200705222042469092

[Daniel]

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov. 22:6 ...

Who taught this kid to do such a thing?